Isles of Ruin
by Apple2Applers
Summary: On the Alolan islands overrun by Guzzlords and abandoned by humans, a group of Pokemon band together to gather the Z-Crystals in an effort to send the beasts to another dimension.
1. Chapter 1

A2A's Note: Here we go. This story was particularly inspired by Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. If you haven't played it yet, don't worry too much. There won't be too many spoilers here, if any. If you have played it to this part, then you probably know what I'm talking about. Without further ado, welcome to Ruined.

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

Chapter 1 - Ruined

* * *

 _A century ago, Alola was the prime tourist destination. Clear oceans and skies, along with the unique cultural island challenge, brought many trainers to its shore. It was around that time that a trainer appeared, taking the island challenge and rising to exceed all expectations. That trainer became a legend within weeks, ascended Mount Lanikila, and became the first ever Alolan League Champion._

* * *

Vivian breathed silently, her brown body pressed against the earth. The Eevee shifted her weight, felling the weight of the necklace around her neck. In the distance, she could see flames bursting into the night sky. The dead trees around her swung in the night wind. The bursts of flame approached her with surprising velocity. In the brief flashes of light, she could now see a black feline with red stripes sprinting away from what appeared to be a storm of petals. Vivian took a deep breath and touched her necklace.

Another burst of flame incinerated the petals, creating an orange ball of light. The Torracat, now fully visible in the light, turned and faced the approaching wall of fire. The Torracat looked around, finally meeting Vivian's eyes. Upon Vivian's nod, the feline touched a band wrapped around his front leg. Both Vivian and Torracat began glowing as the flaming petals disappeared.

"Inferno Overdrive!"

"Breakneck Blitz!"

The two charged through the petals into the Pokemon hidden behind the petals. A dust cloud formed, and Vivian quickly darted away behind a tree. Her ears listened for any movement from within the dust.

"Both unconscious," a voice said from the dust. "We're fine."

Vivian relaxed and walked into the dust. The Torracat stood beside the bodies of a very unconscious Lurantis and Comfey. Vivian reached out a paw to nudge the Lurantis. The Lurantis didn't respond.

"We may have overdone it a bit," Vivian said, smirking.

"You kidding?" The Torracat kicked the Comfey, resulting in a tiny groan followed by silence. "These two were about to serve me as old Guzzy's breakfast."

Vivian snorted and sat down. "Well, Hazel. At least you didn't collapse this time."

Hazel immediately turned and glared at her. "That happened once, and only because that stupid Mudbray landed some lucky hits." His ears twitched and he quickly turned to direction her ran from. Vivian stood up and got into battle stance.

A Pikachu and another Lurantis walked up.

"Well?" Hazel asked. "Did we get it?"

The Pikachu held up a green crystal, smiling victoriously. Hazel whooped and jumped around.

"Nice job, Jake. Let's head back. Phoebe?" Hazel turned to the Lurantis and sighed. "They're unconscious, I promise. And neither of them know you're involved."

Pheobe let out a small yelp and looked away from the fainted Pokemon. "I – umm, okay." She gulped. "Let's go before they wake up then."

* * *

 _A few hours later in Brooklet Hill_

"Home sweet home," Jake muttered as the four Pokemon entered a hollow tree trunk. In the early sunlight, he could see the stairway leading down. He gestured to the other three. "You three go on ahead. I'm gonna go see if there are any berries around."

Vivian lingered behind as the other two descended the stairs. "You going to need help, Jake?"

"I'll be fine. Besides," Jake held up his arm, showing off an armband with a yellow crystal attached. "I still got this. You, however, need to rest."

Vivian gave a small smile. "I suppose. Hurry back, we're gonna need to decide what to do next."

"Roger that."

Jake watched the Eevee disappear into the tree, and walked away. A few minutes later, he approached a berry tree. Multiple types of berries lay scattered around the base of the tree. Jake's eyes narrowed as he noticed that some of the berries have bite marks. His ears heard footsteps, and he quickly hid inside a nearby bush. He turned around in time to see a Golduck and a Parasect walk into view and towards the berry tree.

"Remember, no sweet berries."

"You don't have to remind me, Goldy. I remember what happened to my brother."

"I'm just saying, I'd hate for you to go out that way."

"I'd hate for me to go out that way too. But then again, this ain't much better."

"It's better than the alternative. We're not eaten, not hunted. We're safe. Sure, we might get a few hungry nights, but it is better than being eaten."

"I guess. As long as we don't end up like those idiots in Lush Forest."

Jake winced and gulped. He shifted his weight to touch his Z-crystal, ready to attack at a moment's notice. He eyed the Golduck, sure that he could at least knock it out. Parasect he was immensely worried about.

"Didn't Lord G find them in the Crushed Plains?" Jake heard the Golduck ask.

"Yeah. He took them back to the forest and discovered that they lost the Crystal. According to eyewitnesses, he crushed them on the spot as an example to weaklings."

Jake gulped, making a mental note to not mention anything to Phoebe. The two Pokemon walked in silence around the tree, picking up berries. A few berries, most of them sweet ones, were left untouched. He watched as they counted the berries they gathered, bundled the berries up, and walk away. The Pikachu trained his ears to listen for any other Pokemon. After minutes of silence pass by, he sneaked out from the bushes.

Brushing a few leaves off him, he gathered up the remaining berries around the tree. It wasn't enough for the whole day, but at least it can provide some nourishment after the last night's debacle. Looking around once more to ensure he is safe, he headed back towards the hollow tree.

He never noticed a pair of eyes watching everything from atop a tree.

* * *

Footnotes - Characters introduced this chapter:

Vivian - Eevee

Hazel - Torracat

Jake - Pikachu

Phoebe - Lurantis


	2. Chapter 2

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

Chapter 2 - Underground Meetings

* * *

 _Shortly after the legend became the Alolan Champion, disaster upon disaster fell upon the islands. Visitors, aliens from dimensions across the cosmos appeared all over Alola. Kahunas, Trial Captains, Totem Pokemon, and even the Tapu's did their best to hold back the waves of monsters. Meanwhile, the Alolan Champion had disappeared, leaving behind the islands to their doom._

* * *

Vivian walked down the steps, yawning. With the adrenaline rush dissipating after the short battle, she could feel herself falling asleep at every step. For a moment she felt grateful that Jake hadn't taken her offer of help. That thought vanished as she remembered the nearby Pokemon. Ever since they drove out the Pokemon that owned this place, they have been attacked at every opportunity by the neighboring households. Vivian glanced back up the stairs, checking for any intruders that may have followed.

The narrow stairwell soon opened up to a large cavern. The cave was built into a cliff, and the wall facing the ocean had several holes that allowed sunlight to pour in. Hazel and Phoebe were already talking, with Hazel holding the Grassium-Z in his paws.

"- need to use my blades," Phoebe was saying. "They get pretty sharp, so any kind of armband is going to come right off."

"We'll probably have to make a necklace like Vivian's then," Hazel replied, looking the crystal over. He caught a glimpse of Vivian in the reflection. "Speak of the devil, there she comes."

"We could make it into a belt," Vivian walked over to join the three as Hazel handed the crystal over to Phoebe. "It's safer and easier for Phoebe that way. You know, keep those sharp claws away from your own neck." Phoebe took the crystal and nodded to Vivian.

"A belt would work," Phoebe studied the gem. "I'll need practice, but it should work well."

"We're going to have to test it before going into battle with in," Hazel nodded, stifling a yawn of his own. "Well, we have five Z-crystals now, including the water one which none of us can use. Thirteen more to go."

"Meaning we need to move islands," Phoebe sighed. "I've never been off this island before. Where to, Hazel?"

Vivian laid down and also turned to Hazel. "I've never really gone anywhere either, so it's all you and Jake."

Hazel shrugged as he followed Vivian's example and sat down. "I've only seen very, very small parts of Melemele Island, and even then I only know a single town. I do know that there's at least another crystal is on the island though." Hazel frowned. "I should've probably searched for it more, but the head Guzzy over there found out and I had to run. Thank goodness for ocean Pokemon still helping us out. Jake's from Ula'ula Island, but I don't know much about that."

"Well, good thing I'm here then," Jake walked into the room. "These are all the berries that're left. A couple Pokemon got there ahead of me." As he passed the berries around, he spoke again to Hazel. "What about Ula?"

"Any crystals you know of?"

"Three more, as far as I'm concerned. And two of them aren't found by the Guzzlords get when I left. One is in the hands of an underground Pokemon gang right under the head Guzzlord's nose, and the other… well, the other one it's cause I'm me. It's guarded by ghost types controlled by Mimikyu."

"And all Mimikyu's hate Pikachu's," Vivian finished, munching on a Pecha Berry. "And the fourth island? Brony Island or something?"

"Poni," Phoebe corrected. "From what I heard from Sir Guzzlord… I mean, Guzzlord, the island is nothing but trouble. Apparently there are still legendaries there battling Guzzlord, and both sides don't care if innocent Pokemon get in the way."

"Meaning we only got two choices, Ulu'ula or Melemele," Hazel concluded. "Both islands which has a crystal guarded by a big old Guzzy."

"I'd say Melemele," Jake said between bites. "The Guzzlord at Ula'ula has the dark crystal. Even with the four of us together, we can't take him on just like that. Especially if he has henchmen helping him."

"The Melemele Guzzy has the fighting crystal," Hazel nodded thoughtfully. "I'm not sure if he has a fighting type move, but if he does, Vivian's in trouble." Vivian arched an eyebrow at Hazel. "You're the only one that does any sort of damage, even if it's not a lot, to Guzzy. All of my moves are pathetically weak against him."

"In other words, we're screwed," Vivian finished her berry and stood up. "Nice pep talk, so Melemele Island tonight? I really need to get some sleep."

"I, umm, say tomorrow morning," Phoebe spoke up. "It'll be advantageous if we're sure I can use my crystal effectively. Plus, even though I've guarded it for my whole life, I'm still not sure what it does."

"And I'm not sure when we can find a ride," Jake added. "I'll head down to the beach area in the evening to see if I can find anyone willing."

"Please have that someone be anyone who can swim above water," Hazel shuddered. "I still have nightmares about getting to this island."

"Tomorrow morning it is," Vivian yawned and walked deeper into the cave. "Night, boys and Phoebe. I'll see you in the evening."

Hazel stood up. "I'm out as well. Want me to make a campfire before I go?" At shaken heads, Hazel followed Vivian into the tunnels.

Jake leaned back and looked at Phoebe. "So, just you and me left, new girl. Unless you're going to sleep too."

Phoebe shook her head. "I got the sun, so my energy level isn't that bad right now. You?"

"Compared to those two, I'm good," Jake's eyes turned to the path Vivian and Hazel took. "They might not admit it, but those special moves take a lot out from you without a trainer to draw power from. Honestly, I'd want you to test it a few times before we leave the safety of the island, but…. we don't have the time."

"I understand," Phoebe's voice was nearly a whisper. "Sir Guzz – I mean – Guzzlord knows I'm somewhere too. The longer I stay here, the longer you three are in danger. I mean, I owe it to you guys that I'm here after all."

Jake shrugged. "We help you, you help us." Jake's face turned to a frown. "I'll be honest with you though. We're not the saviors you think we are. Yeah, we're trying to get rid of the Guzzlords, but that's it. Other Pokemon, including," Jake took a breath. "Including family might become casualties. You happened to be the first pure Grass type that'll listen to us. If you weren't," Jake's voice trailed off, his eyes wandering to watch the ocean.

"For what it's worth," Phoebe's voice pulled Jake's eyes to her. "Thanks for the save."

Jake gave her a smirk. "And for what it's worth, I'm glad it's you and not someone lesser that we came across." He nodded at the crystal in Phoebe's possession. "Let's get that thing attached to your body, then I'm going to take a nap."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

Characters introduced this chapter:

None!


	3. Chapter 3

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

* * *

 _One by one, the kahuna's Pokemon lost their strength. The Tapus grew weak, and were eventually defeated. The attacks from other dimensions were relentless, and try as they might, the people cannot hold them back forever. Contact with the legendary trainer continued to prove fruitless. It was then that the Guzzlords arrived._

* * *

The evening sun turned the ocean a fiery orange as Vivian and Jake walked down to the beach. Both had recovered their strength, and left Phoebe to test out her new move with Hazel. Jake walked up to the shoreline and dunked his head into the water. Vivian looked around and sat down on the sand. Jake had tried to explain the nuances of electromagnetic waves, but all she really understood was that he was able to communicate with some Lanturns beneath the waves. After a few resurfaces, Jake walked over.

"Now, we wait," Jake said as he walked up to Vivian. "Hopefully not for too long."

"Well, we got time," Vivian replied. Her eyes scanned the horizon.

The two Pokemon sat in silence, eyes on their surroundings and ears listening for irregularities. As the sun reached the horizon, Vivian felt a nudge from Jake. She quickly turned to the ocean, where two figures have emerged. Getting up, she followed Jake into the rising tide. One of the figures, a Lapras, swam closer to the shore. Vivian realized as she neared that the other figure, way out in the distance, was a Wailord.

"Hi, I'm Jake," Jake introduced himself. "And that there's Vivian. We need to get to Melemele Island."

"So I've heard," the Lapras replied. "I'm Willow, and that's Wayne over there. Let me see your crystals."

Jake immediately held up his arm, and Vivian lifted her necklace. Both gems sparkled in the light.

"Good," Willow nodded. "Anyone with those crystals and word that they're against those creatures is good enough for us. What time do you expect to head out tomorrow?"

"We're thinking at dawn, but we don't know how far it is from here to Melemele Island," Vivian said. "We just want to arrive there in the cover of the night."

Lapras nodded thoughtfully. "Well, it usually takes me almost about half a day to get to the island, but carrying other Pokemon will probably take a bit longer. So dawn sounds good to me."

"Thank you, Lapras," Jake bowed a little. "You're Wailord friend will be accompanying us?"

"Wayne is coming, yes. I understand that you have a fire type friend, but Wailord here can, if we need to, carry you to safety much faster… at the cost of a little hygiene."

"That's fine with us," Vivian turned to Jake. "I guess we should –" Vivian's eyes widened as they travelled up the cliff nearby. "Oh no."

Jake turned and followed Vivian's eyes. From a few familiar holes in cliff, smoke poured out. Jake turned back to the Transport Pokemon.

"Change of plan. Can we leave tonight?"

* * *

"Bloom Doom!" Phoebe jumped, a claw raised into the air and another nearly touching her new gem-embedded belt. She landed, her raised claw slamming down onto the dirt ground.

Hazel, watching from nearby, nodded. "Yeah, I think you got the moves down. Ready for the actual practice?"

Phoebe, panting a little, nodded. "Umm, catch me if I pass out?"

Hazel grinned back. "I'll drag you to your bed, but I can't promise a soft landing. I'll be way out of the way. It might not be very effective, but any empowered move is still going to hurt."

Phoebe sighed as Hazel scampered to be behind cover. "Ready when you are!" Hazel called out, poking his head around the cover.

Touching a claw to her crystal, Phoebe took a deep breath. Her other claw rose into the air and she started to glow. With a breath, she leapt into the air.

"Bloom Doom!" she shouted. A wave of energy blasted through the cavern, causing Hazel to duck behind cover to avoid loose pieces of rock. When Hazel lifted his head up, the entire floor was filled with a wild array of flowers. Phoebe had collapsed onto her claws and knees, panting.

"Wow," Hazel uttered, looking around the created field. "Definitely didn't think that you'd leave a permanent mark onto the battlefield."

"Well," Phoebe managed to say between gasps. "At least my death will be pretty."

Hazel opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by another voice.

"It certainly will be, traitor."

Hazel dropped to a crouch and looked at the entrance. From the dim light, a Sudowoodo, flanked by an Araquanid, a Golduck, and a Parasect emerged.

Phoebe gulped. "Regis."

"Did you know, Phoebe," the Sudowoodo spoke up. "That you killed both your sister and Geneva?"

Phoebe whimpered and stood up shakily. "We can't live like this Regis. Let us go. Let us take down Guzzlord and then we can live in peace."

"You killed them," Regis' whisper carried through the cave. "I was forced to watch my best friends… And you want to escape?" He turned to his companions. "Kill the cat. I want Phoebe alive."

Immediately the three Pokemon lunged towards Phoebe and Hazel. However, Hazel was prepared.

"Roar!"

The force knocked back the three charging Pokemon briefly.

"Phoebe, get back into the caves!" Hazel shouted. Phoebe nodded and disappeared into the tunnels. Hazel's opponents had already regained their bearings and are now carefully approaching him, not grouping up for Hazel to pull off another Roar.

"Jake, Vivian, we really need you right now," Hazel muttered, looking for any escape options. Noticing the flowers, he gave a little smile. "That'll do."

"Water Pulse!" The Golduck shot a blast of water towards Hazel. Hazel quickly jumped backwards.

"Heat Wave!" Hazel let out a massive wave of fire… aimed towards the ground. The resulting flames caused the cave to be filled with smoke.

"Put out the fires you idiots!" Hazel heard Sudowoodo shout as he turned and ran deep into the cave. "What kind of water types are you guys?"

Hazel didn't wait to listen to any reply, instead sprinted deep into the caves, hoping that Jake and Vivian will see the smoke and return to the cave. Otherwise, they are in deep trouble.

* * *

New Named Characters:

Willow - Lapras

Wayne - Wailord

Regis - Sudowoodo


	4. Chapter 4

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

* * *

 _As far as the Guzzlords were concerned, humans were no more than pieces of meat waiting to be eaten. They showed no mercy, no signs of slowing down, no thought into what they are ingesting. Exhausted and weakened, the humans decided to retreat and abandon the islands. Within two days, the cities were empty. The Pokemon native to Alola were captured to be raised elsewhere, so that they will not become extinct. The rest of the Pokemon were left to fend for themselves against the monsters._

* * *

"Phoebe! Where are you?"

"I'm here," Hazel turned towards the voice and hurried down the tunnel. Phoebe was leaning against the wall, out of breath. "Sorry. I need a moment."

"That's fine," Hazel replied. "As long as we keep our voices down from now on, they should have trouble navigating all the tunnels. We can rest here for a moment."

Phoebe nodded weakly and sat down. "You've been here for a while, haven't you? Is there another exit?"

Hazel frowned and shook his head. "Unless we have enough power to break through the dirt and rock above us, there's only one way out. With you already expending nearly all your energy and me having supreme type disadvantage, we're stuck here until Jake and Vivian come."

Phoebe groaned. "I'm sorry. I'm basically useless with how weak I am right now."

"I could say the same," Phoebe flashed Hazel a look. "About your sister. It sucks that Guzzy just… offed them"

"I won't lie… I knew they were most likely going to die the moment we made the plans. I had hope but… Guzzlord isn't the type to show mercy." Phoebe looked down the tunnels. "Now, I just can't let them die for nothing."

"Join the club, sister," Hazel gave her a smile. "You feel good enough to walk? There are a few secluded parts that, with some luck, they're not going to get through."

Phoebe nodded and got up, following Hazel as he led the way.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, with Jake and Vivian_

"I really don't like this plan of yours, Vivian." Jake said as the two of them ran towards the hollow tree.

"I'm not too fond of it either, but we can't afford to run all the way back to the beach if we're being chased."

"Yeah, well, heads up!"

Vivian looked up. A large branch was falling towards her. She quickly rolled out of the way, losing her footing and slamming her against the base of a tree. She gasped as the breath was knocked out of her.

"Oof!"

"Well, well, look what we have here. Two runaway wanted pests."

Vivian got up and looked around. Two Trumbeaks were circling them from above. On ground level, a Sudowoodo stood, accompanied by two Herdiers. Jake stood in front of them, frowning.

"We really don't want trouble with you," Jake said. "Leave, now."

"Hah!" Sudowoodo's voice rang across the clearing. "Two verses five and you tell us to run. Just come peacefully, maybe Guzzlord is feeling merciful today."

"…" Jake sighed and closed his eyes.

"How naïve," Sudowoodo muttered. He turned towards the Herdiers. "Let's kill them both."

Both Herdiers immediately leaped forward. Sudowoodo raised his arms.

"Rock Tomb!"

"Take Down!"

"Crunch!"

Two lightning bolt struck the ground. Just a few seconds later, the two circling Trumbeaks slammed painfully into the ground with a loud thud. Both Herdiers reached Jake's figure and pounced. Jake's figure dematerialized, causing the Herdiers to slam into each other.

"Wha-" Before Sudowoodo can complete his sentence, he felt a rumbling underneath him and felt himself being shoved into the air.

"Iron Tail!" Vivian launched herself from the hole she dug towards the Sudowoodo. Unable to react, Sudowoodo took the full force of the attack, falling onto the ground unconscious. Vivian looked over at her companion. The Herdiers were surrounded by what looked like an infinite number of Pikachus. Within a few seconds, the Herdiers also fainted. Jake ran towards Vivian as the other copies of him dematerialized. With a shared look, they once again started running.

"Think there's more?" Vivian asked as they sprinted. She could now see the top of the tree approaching.

"Inside, most definitely. Remember the plan."

"I made the plan, doofus."

"Touché."

The hidden door of the tree had been destroyed. Jake immediately turned and ran down the stairs. Vivian took a moment to look around for any other Pokemon, but the forest was silent. Turning, she followed Jake down the stairs.

"Thunderbolt!" She heard Jake yell as she reached the cavern. The cavern still contained quite a bit of smoke. The sun pouring in through the holes in the wall created a puppet show of a battle that was taking place. In another lifetime, Vivian could appreciate the beauty. But for now:

"Iron Tail!" She pounced towards the shadow of a Sudowoodo. The Imitation Pokemon collapse like a bag of rocks.

"They got a few others all over the tunnels!" She heard Jake yell to her above the thunderous sounds. "I'll take these guys, go find Hazel and Phoebe!"

Vivian barked an acknowledgement and went sprinted into the caves. "Hazel! Phoebe!"

As she turned a corner, she was met with a blast of water, slamming her against the wall. Without losing momentum, she turned her body towards the ground, looking up to see a Golduck approaching.

"Dig!" Vivian immediately disappeared into the ground.

Golduck growled and carefully watched the ground, moving around to avoid being snuck upon. The cave rumbled, and a chunk of the ceiling collapsed on the Golduck, who promptly collapsed onto its face. Vivian jumped through the hole in the ceiling onto the fallen chunk and Iron Tailed the Golduck in back of the head.

"Hmph," Vivian sprinted deeper into the cave.

"Leaf Blade!" Phoebe's claws connected and another Poliwhirl joined its companions on the dirt floor. She heard Hazel shout a warning and ducked behind a corner, barely avoiding a stream of scalding hot water.

"Leech Life!" She heard Hazel yell. Another group of Poliwhirl rounded the far corner of Phoebe's corridor. Raising both her claws, Phoebe summoned a large amount of petals.

"Petal Blizzard!" One by one the Poliwhirl collapsed. However, the move cost Phoebe the last of her energy, and she collapsed onto her knees and claws. One last Poliwhirl rounded the corner and smirked at the breathless Lurantis.

"I may be slower than the others, but I can easily take you out now," Poliwhirl boasted as he walked towards Phoebe. "And then I'll be promoted."

Phoebe glared up at him. She summoned the strength to retort, and as she opened her mouth.

The Poliwhirl sank beneath the ground.

Phoebe blinked.

A second later, the Poliwhirl was tossed back up, his head colliding with the ceiling. As he fell, an Eevee jumped out of the hole, using an Iron Tail to smack the falling Poliwhirl like a tennis racket. The Poliwhirl slammed against the ceiling then bounced on the ground a few times before being still.

"You okay, Phoebe?" Vivian looked at Phoebe. "Stupid question, can you take care of yourself for now? Where's Hazel?"

"Hazel's around the corner, taking on an Araquanid and some Dewpiders. Go help him." Phoebe managed to get into sitting position, leaning against a wall.

Vivian nodded and rounded the corner, before immediately jumping back. A wave of heat emanated from the corridor, making Phoebe wince.

"Hazel, stop!" Vivian yelled. "I'm coming through!"

The heat dissipated, and Vivian turned and ran through the corridor, jumping over some fallen Dewpiders. She heard fighting coming from around another corner, but as she reached the turn, Hazel flew towards her, limp, before hitting the wall and sliding down, unresponsive.

"Stupid cat," the Araquanid approached Vivian. "And here's another stupid kitten."

"Bug Bite!" the Araquanid pounced on the Vivian.

Vivian smiled at the approaching bug, who blinked at the expression.

"Retaliate!" Vivian yelled as she charged the bug. The collision caused the tunnel to rumble, and the arachnid was thrown back by the force. Vivian quickly turned around and ran towards Hazel.

"C'mon, c'mon. You're fine," Vivian mumbled under her breath and she shook Hazel with a paw. Hazel groaned and tried to sit up, before collapsing again. Vivian winced and sighed. Carefully, she wriggled under him until Hazel was relatively balanced on her back. She stood up and slowly walked over to where Phoebe was sitting. Phoebe blinked at the sight.

"Some help would be appreciated here, Phoebe," Vivian grunted, glaring at the sitting Pokemon.

Phoebe stood up and, being mindful of her claws, lifted up the fainted feline. "I'm not going to be able to battle like this," Phoebe said as she started following Vivian.

"Unless Jake is completely down, which I doubt, we shouldn't run into any more opponents. I'm pretty sure I took care of all of them on the way here."

"Cool."

"How are you with heights?"

"… Do I want to know why you're suddenly asking that?"

"Just keep a tight hold on Hazel. Wait for the signal then jump through the hole. We have friends waiting to catch you."

"I do not like this plan."

"For the record, if it works, you don't get to complain."

Vivian raised a paw to signal Phoebe to stop. Fighting can be heard just around the corner, where the cavern is. Vivian ran into the smoky fray.

"Jake! Let's go!"

Vivian heard Jake grunt. "Oof. Hang on. Thunderbolt! Double Team!" A Pikachu came up to Vivian and whispered. "More of them are coming. Where are they?"

"Around the corner. You got the thing?" Vivian whispered back. Jake handed her a blue crystal as a chunk of ceiling exploded nearby. "I'll go first then." Vivian turned to face the wall and ran at it, tail glowing.

SMASH!

A portion of rock connecting to holes exploded, leaving a wide open hole to the ocean. Vivian dropped.

"Phoebe! Hazel!" Jake shouted as he threw another Thunderbolt into the smoke. "Go now!"

Phoebe entered the cavern, still cradling Hazel and quickly located the hole. She jumped, and both of the dropped out of sight.

"Well, it's been fun," Jake said into the smoky shadows as he backed up to the hold. "But I gotta bail." He jumped.

And landed on a water spout. The spout slowly descended, and he quickly scurried from the Wailord's back to Lapras'. Rocks and water pulses were shot at them from the cliffside as they sailed away, but none of the attacks connected. Tearing his eyes from their former shelter, Jake looked ahead across the ocean towards Melemele Island.

* * *

Named Characters Introduced: Nada


	5. Chapter 5

A2A: A bit of a shorter chapter, just to transition between islands. As usual:

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

* * *

 _Three islands fell immediately to the Guzzlords, with Poni Island continuing to be a warzone. At first the killings were indiscriminant. All Pokemon that dared face them perished within its endless hunger. Then something happened… something mysterious, and the indiscriminant killings stopped. The Guzzlords became the kings of the island, allowing the Pokemon that served them to live. Fear drove many under the shadows of the monsters. Those that hated the monsters were either betrayed and destroyed, or were forced into hiding. For nearly a century, this was the way of the islands._

* * *

Eighteen crystals floated in the thick fog in front of Hazel. Different colors, different symbols. A powerful voice, along with dozens of smaller voices, reverberated throughout the mist.

"Collect them. Find them."

 _"Hazel…"_

"Collect them. Find them."

 _"Hazel? Hazel!"_

"COLLECT THEM! FIND THEM!"

 _"Hazel! Wake up!"_

"… Huh?"

* * *

Hazel's eyes open. A starry night and a waning moon looked back at him, as well as concerned looks from his friends.

"You alright there, buddy?" Jake asked. "You suddenly started tossing and turning."

"Where… What happened?" Hazel asked, getting up. "Woah!" He slipped, not expecting a sloped surface, and Phoebe caught him.

"Ya got knocked out is what happened," Vivian said. "Now we're on Miss Willow, to Melemele Island."

As Hazel's adrenaline level dropped, he started to recognize his surroundings. He had been sleeping in the center of Lapras', who he assumed is Willow, shell. Surrounding him was the ocean, the salty wind and smell making him shiver.

"Well, I guess we beat them," Hazel carefully sat down and examined his limbs. "I'm surprised I didn't break anything."

"We didn't exactly beat them," Phoebe said with a grim smile. "Well, we beat some of them. But we ran away for the most part." Phoebe's smile faded into a grimace. "Most likely, at least half of them are doomed. I'm hoping they'd run away rather than return to their master Guzzlord."

"That's good," Hazel started to lay down again, before jumping up in alarm. "The Waterium Z! Did -"

"Dude, chill," Jake interrupted. "We got it. We gave it to Wayne for safekeeping."

"Wayne?"

"My Wailord friend," Willow spoke up, starting the four Pokemon. "You will get it back, I promise."

Hazel visibly relaxed. "Thank you." He turned towards the other three. "Sorry if I woke you guys up from sleep."

"None of us were exactly sleeping," Jake leaned against one of Willow's spikes. "Dozing off, maybe."

"Ahem," Willow interrupted. "Now that you're awake, and your friends informed me that you are the one familiar with the island, where do you want me to drop you off?"

"Unless something big happened, I assume Hau'oli City isn't possible?" Upon receiving Willow's nod, Hazel continued. "Hmm, what about Big Wave Beach?"

"Sorry to break it to you," Willow frowned. "From what I've heard, it's been swarming with Guzzlord's minions starting from about two weeks ago. No one's really heard anything that sounds remotely close to a solid reason yet, but the main theory is Hau'oli City is running out of supplies."

"Damn," Hazel looked at the Z-crystal on his front leg in thought. "How about Melemele Sea? Specifically inside Ten Carat Hill?"

"It should be free of minions, but" Willow hesitated. "I've heard rumors of another hostile group situated inside. I doubt its real and just a rumor to keep other hostiles away, but if you're sure of going there, keep that in mind."

Hazel let out a breath. "Yeah, that's fine. Just bring us to the entrance."

Willow nodded and continued to glide through the waves. An eerie silence, save for the constant waves, fell upon the travelling party. Hazel glanced back at his companions, only to find Phoebe and Jake fast asleep. Vivian was gazing up at the night sky, her face somber. Hazel looked up. Hundreds of stars looked back at him, blinking and dancing in the sky. His ears twitched as he heard a yawn.

"You should sleep, you know," Hazel quietly spoke.

Vivian jumped. "Huh? Oh, sorry. I was… thinking. Yeah, sleep sounds good. You should also get some rest. Night." She quickly curled up on the shell. Hazel continued to stare up into the stars. It wasn't long before Vivian's breaths became even. Not long after, Hazel's eyes returned to the ocean, looking towards their destination.

"Hey, umm, Willow?" Hazel whispered.

"Yes, Hazel?"

"Tell me… " Hazel gulped. "Has there been any news from Melemele Meadow?"

Willow was silent for a couple of moments. "No news at all," Willow finally replied. "Neither good, nor bad. We've received distress signals from Seaward Cave, but by the time a water Pokemon arrived there, there's nothing to be found. It's been like that for… a couple weeks at least. This past week a Mantine that went got injured. Badly. He said something about rocks before falling unconscious. As of now, still hasn't woken up. We're just ignoring that cave now."

"… Makes sense," Hazel said.

"My turn to ask a question," Willow turned her neck and looked at Hazel's leg. "Out of Wayne's curiosity, where did you learn about those crystals?"

Hazel ignored the question. "Wayne?"

"You won't hear him, but he's listening and communicating with me. Now, the crystals? Wayne's telling me that, although powerful, these crystals were nearly all destroyed during the first invasion, and even then they drew on the human's power."

Hazel nodded. "Nearly all." He looked back at his sleeping companions. "My mom's trainer was a trial-goer – there used to be this thing where humans would compete for the crystals. My mom's trainer was… reckless. He had gotten the normal, fighting, and fire crystals when the Ultra Beasts came. Both he and the fighting crystal were destroyed because he thought he could handle it. My mom was able to salvage the normal and fire crystals. She hid in a small cottage way off to the side."

"And the power?" Willow interrupted. "Sorry, that's the part Wayne was especially curious about. Specifically, since we were comparing notes, I didn't feel that much from the crystal but he feels the power."

"The additional requirement of the crystals," Hazel answered. "Without the trainer's power, you must be attuned to your crystal. Or simply, you have to be the crystal's type and the crystal's type only. It's the reason I'm not evolving." He raised up his paw, letting the crystal reflect the moonlight. "I evolve, and I become not tuned to the crystal."

"I see," Willow gazed thoughtfully into the ocean. "And with Wayne being pure water, he can feel the crystal resonating with him. I'm part ice, so I can't utilize its power."

"Right. It also takes much more energy than normal, since we don't have humans with us, so it's basically a recharge move."

"And so you're collecting them? And finding allies to utilize this power?"

"More or less," Hazel frowned. "I don't know of any pure steel types on any of the islands, or any pure flying types ever. But it's the best chance we have of getting rid of the Guzzlords. There has to be a finite number of them, and if we beat them individually… we'll get rid of them. Hopefully."

"That's a grand dream you have," Willow smiled. "Us water types live much longer than you land Pokemon. I personally remember the time before the Guzzlords. If you need to change islands, tell Jake to contact us. We'll pick you up whenever, wherever. At least, we'll try."

"Assuming we don't die horrifically before we leave Melemele," Hazel laughed. "Please wake me up once we're, say, an hour away."

"Will do, Hazel. Rest well."


	6. Chapter 6

A2A: Oh hey a chapter. I didn't forget. Promise. Q.Q

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

* * *

 _In the midst of destruction and darkness, there were flickers of hope. The Ultra Wormholes that delivered the Guzzlords have vanished, though no humans were around to witness that and attempt to retake the islands. The remaining Guzzlords, along with the remaining Ultra Beasts, were all that are left from the alien invasion. With that knowledge, several groups of Pokemon banded together in an attempt to overthrow the monsters. Most failed. But not all._

* * *

"Yep, that's the cave." Hazel pointed over to a hole in the cliff. "There should be a beach inside that you can drop us off at.

"Sounds good," Willow replied. Wayne had surfaced and was floating next to the group, having just returned the Waterium Z to Jake.

The party, sans Wayne, drifted into the cave. Sure enough, a small sandy area appeared as the entered. Willow drifted over and settled herself onto the sand. Hazel was the first to disembark, jumping over the small amount of water. The other three simply dropped down into the shallows.

"Thanks Willow!" Vivian turned and smiled. "Hope to see you again!"

Willow smiled back. "Good luck to you all." She turned over to Jake. "And remember, call us if you need it. Try to make it somewhere safe if you can, but if not we can try to rescue you from whatever you get yourselves into."

"Noted." Jake nodded. Willow then swam off and out of the cave, disappearing from view.

"Right," Phoebe looked up into the cave. "So, umm, we just head inside?"

Hazel nodded. "Be on your guard. There should be a small meadow around here that has a bunch of peaceful Pokemon. They'll help us."

"Cool," Vivian said, walking around the beach, looking at their surroundings. "It'll be nice to not be in a hostile area for once."

"Yeah," Jake nodded in agreement. "Well, after you, Hazel."

Hazel nodded and walked deeper into the cave. Sand turned to dirt, then to rocks. The party walked along in silence, their footsteps echoing in dark. Hazel lit up his collar, providing light for the other three. Soon, they reached an open chamber, with a hole in the ceiling allowing light to shine through. Hazel motioned for the team to stop. The echoing footsteps behind them didn't stop. Blinking in confusion, Hazel turned around… and received as face full of water.

"Gah!" Hazel stumbled back. The other three immediately turned. Rocks slammed into Phoebe and Vivian, knocking the wind out of them. Jake was faster, rolling out of the way. A Golduck was rushing towards Hazel. A Boldore readied another volley of rocks. In the darkness, he could make out another shape, but was unsure of what Pokemon that was. The volley of rocks flew forwards.

Jake jumped backwards, creating copies of himself in the process. Turning towards Hazel, who was still trying to get water out of his eyes, he shouted.

"Hazel! Roar!"

Hazel did so immediately, knocking the Golduck back. Jake rushed forwards, cheeks sparkling.

"Thunderbolt!" A stream of electricity slammed into the Golduck, dropping it in a single hit. "Huh, that was easy."

"Hmm," a feminine voice echoed through the chamber. "You sure about that?"

Jake suddenly felt nauseous. Phoebe and Vivian, who had recovered, winced. Hazel blinked a couple times, the water finally out of his eyes, and gasped.

"Jake, careful!"

Jake suddenly realized a wall of rocks was upon him. He tried to dodge… but found himself moving much, much slower than he wanted. The wall of rocks struck him hard, and he ended rolling right next to Hazel. In a blink, the Boldore was upon them, smirking at the two.

"Earthquake!"

The floor exploded, knocking Hazel and Jake even further back into the wall. Another volley of rocks flew forwards. Hazel managed to get out of the way, but Jake, unable to react in time, fell unconscious under the barrage.

"Phoebe! A little help would be nice!" Hazel panted as he Roared the Boldore away.

"A little busy here," Phoebe shouted back. A Mawile had dug underneath Phoebe and Vivian, and a Mismagius had emerged from the wall, further separating them. Phoebe was forced to back away, fending of a sped-up Mawile. Mismagius cornered Vivian, attacking her with Power Gems while Vivian batted the rocks at Mismagius with her Iron Tail.

"Great," Hazel mumbled, narrowly dodging another volley of rocks. He slowly maneuvered, via dodging and roaring, himself to be relatively near the Mawile. Roaring the Boldore away one last time, he turned to face the Mawile, who was unaware of what was happening. Phoebe, on the other hand, met his eyes and nodded. Ignoring the rapidly approaching Boldore, he touched his armband, immediately glowing.

"INFERNO OVERDRIVE!" Hazel pounced at the Mawile, tackling it away from Phoebe. Phoebe's reaction was immediate.

"Petal Blizzard!" Phoebe rushed forwards to meet the Boldore head on, pushing it back. "Thanks Hazel…." Upon receiving no reply, she looked behind her. "Hazel?"

The Mawile stood up, pushing the unconscious cat off. "Stupid cat. Now it's a two on one." In a blink, both Mawile and Boldore were upon her.

"Leaf Blade!" Phoebe pushed Mawile back.

"Earthquake!" The ground shook at the force of the move. Phoebe stumbled, but wasn't affected too much. Boldore moved back and prepared a volley of rocks. Mawile, weakened by Hazel's Z-move and Phoebe's attack, was slow to recover. Phoebe saw the opportunity, and took it. She touched her belt and started to glow.

"Bloom Doom!"

A wave of energy burst from the Lurantis. Mawile was knocked away and passed out. Boldore was forced to position his rocks defensively, providing some protection for himself. It didn't help much, as the rocks shattered and Boldore was pushed back, if only for a moment. The wave of energy hit both Mismagius and Vivian, who were knocked aside in the middle of their ping-pong battle. The cavern was filled with flowers and grass, with Phoebe standing in the middle. Phoebe winced as a nauseous feeling came over her again, and she suddenly felt much faster.

"Krystal!" the Boldore shouted, lumbering over while preparing rocks. "The Trick Room!"

"Wait!" the Mismagius snapped, avoiding an Iron Tail from Vivian, who was now advancing much, much faster.

Boldore snarled and threw the rocks at Phoebe, who had regained some strength.

"Petal Blizzard!" The flowers around her reacted, amplifying the size and strength of the move. Phoebe moved forward with great vigor, her claw raised and glowing. "Leaf Blade!"

The Boldore, now slowed, was unable to dodge and Phoebe slammed into the rock-type Pokemon. Boldore fainted. Phoebe, similarly, fell on to her knees with exhaustion. She looked over at Vivian.

Vivian, free of the Trick Room, was quickly gaining advantage over the Ghost-type. The latter quickly realized that their ambush had failed, and disappeared into the walls. Vivian kept her combat stance up for a couple moments longer, before rushing over to Hazel.

"Phoebe, check on Jake please," Vivian called out as she ran over.

Phoebe stood up and walked over to where Jake fell. Jake was still unconscious, but breathing steadily. "No threatening injuries here; he's just out." Phoebe looked over at Vivian. "How's Hazel?"

"Same," Vivian said, looking Hazel over. "But they got us good." She looked over at the unconscious enemies in the room. "We should leave, find a small cavern to rest before these guys wake up."

"Yeah," Phoebe picked up Jake and walked over to Hazel. "I can carry both of them, albeit slowly, if you want to scout ahead."

"Will do," Vivian ran further into the darkness. Phoebe followed closely, leaving the grassy plains behind them.

* * *

New Introductions:

Krystal - Mismagius


	7. Chapter 7

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

* * *

 _Throughout the decades, several Ultra Beasts were defeated and disappeared from this world. In times of darkness, pulses of light, brightened by the power of Z-crystals, shined over the islands. The Guzzlords learned to fear the power, and took every precaution to destroy and control all the crystals they can. The race had begun._

 _Deep within Ten Carat Hill_

* * *

"Jeremiah! We need back up! Invaders!"

"Woah there, Krystal. What's wrong? Where's Mason and Remi?"

"They're… probably gone. We tried to fight them, but they were super powerful. They used these crystals that I've never seen before."

"Crystals…? Huh, perhaps not all hope is lost after all. Get someone to go help Mason and Remi. I'm gonna pay those invaders a visit."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Quite sure. I'll be back."

* * *

"Ugh…" Jake tossed and turned, before slowly opening his eyes. A glowing fire blazed before him. Hazel lay not far away, asleep. The two girls were nowhere to be seen. "What happened?"

He sat up, wincing as his head rattled, and looked around. He soon realized that the action was futile, as all he could tell was that they were in a small cavern, with a tunnel leading into darkness. He looked up, and through the thin smoke he saw holes, and beyond the hole he saw stars.

"Damn, the whole day?" Jake mumbled to himself. He looked out into the darkness and raised his voice a little. "Vivian? Phoebe?" Hazel stirred, grunting as his eyes opened. The tunnels were silent.

"Oh, you're awake," Hazel nodded at Jake. "How are you feeling?"

"My head's killing me, but otherwise could be worse. Where are the other two?"

"Out finding berries," Hazel pointed towards the dark tunnel. "Phoebe thought she smelled some berries around here, so they went out to find something to eat. And, uh," Hazel grinned sheepishly. "I was supposed to be guarding, but I fell asleep at some point. Whoops."

"Nothing happened, so we're good," Jake replied. "Speaking of which, what did happen back there? I remember a Boldore appearing near me, then nothing."

"You got pretty destroyed, yeah." Hazel blew another burst of flame into the bonfire. "There was a Mismagius who used Trick Room earlier. They must have done this a lot, since they moved and attacked in almost perfect synchronization. You were an easy target for the Boldore at that point since you became super slow. Slammed with rocks then Earthquaked to oblivion."

Jake frowned at the analysis. "Yeah, that was pathetic of me. Screw Trick Room. You guys still made it out okay from the looks of it."

"Just the girls, actually. I managed to hit the Mawile with my Z-power, then I was out of the fight. Phoebe then also used hers and knocked out both the Boldore and Mawile. Mismagius fled the scene after that."

"So we're two hard-hitters down, unless I was out long enough for you two to recharge."

"Nope. I could try, but I'll fall unconscious right away."

"Well, that sucks."

Hazel turned towards the dark tunnel, eyes narrowing. Jake got up, ready to throw out a Thunderbolt if need be. The sound of echoing footsteps grew louder and louder.

"Vivian?" Hazel started, speaking into the darkness. "Phoebe?"

"It's neither of them," an elderly male voice spoke answered. "Please, do not be alarmed. I'm not here to hurt either of you, only to invite you in." The voice grew closer, and a Dusk Form Lycanroc stepped into the light. "I am Jeremiah."

"We still have no reason to trust you," Jake's cheek sparkled with energy. "What do you want?"

"Please," Jeremiah gave a small smile. "I am old; you two are young. If I were going in for a fight, I wouldn't have come alone. But, even if you do not trust me, perhaps you can trust that I am here because Phoebe and Vivian told me where you were."

Hazel leapt forwards, going face-to-face with Jeremiah. "If you even touched them,"

"Calm down, son." Jeremiah faced Hazel without a trace of fear. "They came looking for berries. We led them to our safe haven, and they asked for someone to come get you two."

"Why didn't they come back themselves?" Jake asked suspiciously.

"Because," Jeremiah answered, brushing past Hazel to look at Jake. "Phoebe was near collapsing, and Vivian wasn't as strong at that moment as she would want us to believe. Believe me, we could've dragged their unconscious bodies back here and laugh at you if we wanted to." Jeremiah turned away. "We've wasted enough time, follow me. And put out that fire."

Hazel glared at the elder for a few more seconds, before glancing over at Jake. Jake caught Hazel's questioning glance and nodded. Hazel trudged over and snuffed out the flames, plunging the cavern in darkness. Not a second later, Hazel's collar lighted up, giving a small light for Jake. Jeremiah started to walk out, the other two Pokemon followed in silence.

"You must understand," Jeremiah started talking again as they navigated the tunnels. "The only ones that come in here are those monsters' minions. We have patrols all over the cave, listening in and alerting us to any invaders." Both Jake and Hazel listened in silence, unwilling to reply to the elder. The elder continued regardless. "So when you guys came in, we attacked. And we aren't going to apologize for that. I do appreciate that you left my guards alive. Life's been difficult lately. I fear that soon, this place will be taken over as well. But you four are here to stop that, aren't you. After all…" Jeremiah looked over his shoulder, first at Jake's armband then at Hazel's leg band. "You possess the crystals."

Hazel blinked. "You know of them?"

Jeremiah chuckled briefly. "Why do you think we stay in this place? No Pokemon other than me and a few others know if it, but we guard a crystal here. Unfortunately, without a human to assist us, it is one of the more useless crystals."

Jake took a breath. "Flying."

Jeremiah nodded. "And as we know, there are no pure flying types that can utilize the crystal to its fullest potential. We will discuss this later. For now, here we are."

The team had reached a dead end. Hazel and Jake glanced at each other, eye brows raised. Jeremiah went over to the wall of stone.

"Mira. I'm back, and I brought guests."

The wall rumbled, and collapsed. Behind the wall stood a Gigalith. Both Hazel and Jake took a sharp breath, eyes widening, as they observed the Gigalith. Around the Gigalith's left front leg was a band containing a shining, brown crystal.

"The rock crystal…" Hazel muttered. "It's here too."


	8. Chapter 8

[Obligatory Disclaimer: I, Apple2Applers, do not own Pokemon]

A2A: Hi everyone. I'm back. For the probably few who are still following this, I'm sorry for being gone for a bit.

Hazel: Apologies won't cut it, dude. I thought we'd been deleted.

A2A: Shush. You're breaking the wall. And you got a meeting to get to.

* * *

"Jeremiah trusts you," the Gigalith, Mira, spoke. "See to it that it is not misplaced." She shifted her legs so that the glint of the Z-crystal was unavoidable. "Or else."

Hazel bristled. Jake cleared his throat and stepped forwards between the two. "If we're being honest, we're still not sure whether or not to trust you guys." Jake noticed several other Pokemon peeking at them from the caves and trees. "But we will not attack unless we have a good reason."

Mira stared down at them for several, quiet seconds. "So be it. One wrong move, little ones, and you're not leaving here alive."

Hazel growled and stepped forwards. "I'd like to see you –"

Jake quickly stepped in front of Hazel. "But first, we'd like to see our friends. Then we can discuss the what's and why's." Tilting his head backwards, he stared at the feline until Hazel backed down.

"Very well," the giant rock Pokemon turned. "Follow."

As the duo made to follow, Jeremiah cleared his throat. "Please don't take too long. I'm sure we'd all like to know where this whole idea is going." The elder pointedly nodded at the stones. "And how 'we' is the team."

Hazel nodded and quickly followed after Mira. Jake mentioned his thanks before imitating Hazel's motions. Within a minute, they entered a small cavern where a small fire was lit, and where two Pokemon were laying down. The Eevee, noticing their presence, got up and moved towards them, ignoring the Gigalith.

"You two made it," Vivian spoke in a hushed tone. "Phoebe's asleep, but we got some berries."

Before any of the two males can answer, the Gigalith rumbled. "Rest for ten minutes. Then we meet." Without waiting for a response, Mira turned and stomped away.

Hazel huffed after her. "What's her deal?"

Jake sighed. "Never mind her. We got more important things to discuss." He glanced over at Phoebe, who was napping peacefully. "But we should let Phoebe rest for a bit longer."

Vivian nodded. "You two should also eat something." She turned and led them to a berry pile. Both Jake and Hazel grabbed a Sitrus berry and moved away from the resting Pokemon.

"So," Jake began as he munched on his berry. "The most important question here is how much we can trust these guys."

Hazel nodded in agreement. "They have two crystals, and they don't seem to be working for the Guzzy. But I doubt they'll just leave this place and join us." He took a large, juicy bite. "Oh, that's good."

Jake silently agreed as he took another bite. "So now we have the locations of two more crystals, regardless of whether or not they'll help." Jake glanced over at Hazel. "You said you knew one other crystal."

"Aside from the Fighting one that the head Guzzy has, yeah." Hazel fell silent for a couple moments, before speaking again. "The Psychic crystal is on the island. It looks like head Guzzy found out about it though."

"What do you mean?" Jake asked.

"I asked Willow about the meadow where it was located. Supposedly communication there was cut off a couple weeks ago."

"That's not great," Jake frowned. "But one step at a time, I suppose. Starting with these people. I, for one, think they're trustworthy enough. I think we should tell them the plan vaguely, so that even if there's a single traitor it won't hurt us much."

Hazel sighed. "They got some crystals. And they can hurt the Guzzys as much as Vivian can." He glanced at the Eevee, who was staring blankly at him. "Uhh, Vivian? Earth to Vivian?" He raised a paw and waved it in front of her face. Vivian blinked.

"Huh? What? Yes," Vivian blurted out, immediately blushing. "I spaced out didn't I?" Jake and Hazel simultaneously nodded, causing Vivian to groan. "Sorry y'all. What was the question?"

"… Did you get to rest at all?" Hazel asked.

Vivian glared at him, "I know that wasn't the question."

"Answer it."

"No. And it doesn't matter right now." Vivian turned to Jake. "What was the question?"

"… We were discussing the trustworthiness of this group here," Jake finally answered.

Vivian nodded thoughtfully. "Well, they do have crystals. And none of them kept an eye on me and Phoebe after dropping us in here with the berries. I think they're good people. But I'm not sure whether or not they'll help us fight."

Hazel sighed. "You've repeated everything we just said."

Vivian sent a glare at Hazel. "I said sorry, okay?" she snapped. Hazel blinked at the tone. Vivian groaned and lowered her head.

"I'n, uhh," Jake glanced between the two awkwardly. "I'm going to go over there and wake Phoebe up and fill her in on what's going on." The Pikachu scrambled to his feet, leaving Hazel and Vivian.

Silence filled the gap between the two, before Jake's whispered voice broke through the cave. As Jake explained to Phoebe where they were and what they're doing, Vivian looked back up at Hazel, who was fiddling with his armband.

"Sorry I snapped." Hazel's head rose at her voice. Vivian ran a paw over her face. "I really need to sleep soon."

"You can sleep here while we conduct the meeting," Hazel nodded over to the fire. "We'll fill you in when you wake up. And, uh, I'm sorry too for snarking at you."

"You were being you," Vivian muttered. "Which is good. I like you being you. I'm just not quite me at the moment." She rubbed her eyes and stood up. "But I'd rather be at the meeting. At the very least I still have a powerful move to use before I get fall asleep."

Hazel sighed and got up on his paws, stretching. "If you say so." The two of them walked over to Jake and Phoebe. The former had taken another Sitrus Berry, while the latter just sat and stared into the flames.

"Jake filled you in, Phoebe?" Vivian asked.

"Y-yeah," Phoebe replied, evidently still tired. "I haven't interacted with anyone, so I'll just go along."

The group nodded mindlessly around the flickering flames. Before long, the thundering footsteps echoing inside the cavern warned them of the approaching Pokemon. Seconds after, Mira appeared in the doorway.

"Meeting will begin." She turned and thundered away. "Follow."

Wordlessly, the four stood up and followed her out of the cavern and to the meeting place. Inside another cavern.


End file.
